As fall is fast approaching us, it is time to start preparing ourselves for the upcoming season by training a pup, scouting, getting permission, boiling or dipping a trap and attending your state rendezvous. There is always lots of knowledge and information to obtain at these events. Kansas Fur Harvesters Assn. rendezvous will be held in Yates Center on Oct. 2, 3 and 4. Many hours of preparation have been put forth to make this an outstanding show, so make plans to come out and enjoy it. Everyone is welcome to attend, so bring a youth with you, or a friend. If you do bring a dog with you, it must be kept on a leash at all times.

Members have been busy to different activities. Some made it to the different conventions, hunter education classes, youth fairs, scouting events, fur harvesting education classes and county fairs. It is always a pleasure to work with our youth.

In your travels, drive safely and always watch for the other person. Hope to see all in Yates Center at the rendezvous on Oct. 2, 3 and 4.

— Roger Macy PRESIDENT’S REPORT

The bodygripping trap issue on public land is far from over. It might not affect this coming year’s trapping season, but I’m sure it will come up again, as it has four of the last four or five years. I am sure if another dog gets caught in a bodygripping trap or snare, there will be a regulation change.

Regulation changes are not as bad as legislation because as the New York trappers associations past president said “regulation is easier to change than legislation.” New York has just went through a dog being killed in a bodygripping trap and had to work with their Department of Natural Resources to format new trapping regulations to keep the legislature from making changes. We the Kansas Fur Harvesters Assn. will continue to monitor the bodygripping trap issue on public land.

In today’s society we, the trapping community, have to re-evaluate the way we do things. The attitude “that’s the way we have always done it” or “it’s legal to do” is no longer the way we should look at our trapping techniques.

Each time we make a set we need to not only evaluate the chances of catching a non-target species but also the chances of catching someone’s hunting dog or pet. If the thought even crosses your mind for a split second that you might catch a hunting dog or pet, then you should make a non-lethal set or move on. Problems have arisen in every state that bodygripping traps and snares can be legally set.

It is now time to get out and inform all trappers you know of the problems with bodygripping traps and snares that are accruing and persuade them to join the Kansas Fur Harvesters Assn. Inc. so we can help educate the public of the proper use of traps and inform them that we can no longer say that “animal rights groups are not going to change things in Kansas.” It is already happing!

A gentleman in Butler County that was trying to legally trap a groundhog under his own building on his property accidentally caught a feral cat, and he was charged and convicted of cruelty to animals. As part of his probation, he can no longer trap on his own land. A lady shot a dog chasing her cattle on her property and was charged and convicted of cruelty to animals and served 90 days in jail.

PETA protested in Topeka at a Kentucky Fried Chicken Restaurant because the city used money from KFC to patch potholes. PETA wants Wildlife and Parks officers to risk their lives to rescue pigeons from a condemned building because they are trapped in the building and “can’t get out of the large holes in the roof.” Animal Rights groups are trying to stop the deer herd reduction plan in Shawnee Mission Park.

Now more than ever, we need to increase our membership and also our fundraising efforts to push the KFHA, Inc. mission of educating the public.